Florence mary fletcher



(No Model.)

z 1-". M. FLETCHER. v ATTACHMENT FOR LADIES DRESSES FOR PROTECTING BANDS OF-FLOWERS.

No. 517,568. Patented Apr. 3, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FLORENCE MARY FLETCHER, OF K NIGHTON ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES EDWARD WHITMORE AND CHARLES DUNDAS PRICE, OF LEICESTER, ENGLAND.

ATTACHMENT FOR LADIES DRESSES FOR PROTECTING BANDS 0F FLOWERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,568, dated April 3, 1894. Application filed February 3,1893- Serial No. 460.904. (No model.) Patented in France May 4, 1893, No. 227,703-

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FLORENCE MARY FLETCHER, a subject of Her Britannic Majesty Queen Victoria, residing at Cambury House, OlarendonParkR0ad,Knighton,inthe county of Leicester, England, in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented a new and useful improvement, or a new or Improved Attachment to Ladies Dresses for the Purpose of Protecting Bands or Wreaths of Flowers, (for which I have obtained a patent in France, dated May 4, 1893, No. 227,703, and have applied for a patent in Great Britam, No. l7,455,'bearing date September 30, 1892, and also for a patent in Germany, unnumbered,) of which the followingis a specification.

This invention is specially applicable for flowers frequently used extending across the chest from the shoulder to the hip, and consists in wires or arches connected together, or to a frame or base, and provided with chains, brooch fastenings, cord or ribbonor similar means of attachment, the Whole length being such that it will stretch almost from one end of the band or spray to the other. Such arches may he graduated, because in large bands the flowers increase in size generally toward the center, or upper portion, therefore the straight or crossed arches have to be larger or smaller, accordingly.

This attachment is secured by safety pins, brooch fastenings or other equivalent means, secured to the ends of the bent wires forming the arches, or by cords, ribbon or the like, and secured to the dress so that the arch or arches will project in an upright manner. The arch or arches may be covered if necessary with a gauze, net, silk or other fabric cover, so secured thereto that it does not press upon the flowers. When a coat, cloak, jacket or shawl s put over it, or thrown over the shoulders of the wearer, instead of resting on the band or spray of flowers as at present, such cover will lie on top of the projecting arch or arches and thus leave the flowers free from being crushed or becoming broken or disarranged. I attain these objects by constructing the appliance or attachment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1. isa view from the under side of the appliance stretched out ready for covering the band or spray of flowers. Fig. 2. is an end view of the same closed after use. Fig. 3 is the appliance in another form, the arches A. going across from one side to the other transversely, and opened out as when in use. Such Wreaths or sprays of flowers are arranged frequently for evening dress, or upon other occasions either as shoulder knobs or sprays, breast knobs or sprays, or extending across the chest from the shoulder to the hip of the wearer; and Fig. 4 shows the previous figure closed after use to fit the pocket or reticule.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In carrying out this invention I can employ a variety of different metals, or other suitable material of a flexible nature plain or ornamented, and one or more crossed or straight arches to cover the length of the band of flowers; if constructed as illustrated in Figs..1

and 2 (which I will now describe) it consists of several sets, or a series of arches A centrally pivoted at B, so that several sets can be folded well within the larger arch as seen in Fig. 2 and can be carried in a side pocket or reticule, each bent wire is flattened at its outer ends 19, and riveted together at C, to the outer ends are attached either chains D, or may be a brooch pin, ribbon or thelike to fasten it to the dress, or other article of Wearin g apparel. When chains are employed safety pins E are secured thereon to fasten the appliance securely to the dress of the wearer.

To determine to what extent each set of arches the appliance or attachment to be fixedin any IOO the arches meanwhile retaining their upright position, which of course is essential, and keeps them from the flowers that is to say; the flowers thereunder are quite free. The levers D. may telescope if desired.

A various assortment of designs may be produced by graduating the arches, and ornamenting them and by slight modifications the attachments may be employed to protect flowers in gentlemens coats, or other ladies or gentlemens Wearing apparel without departing from the essence of my invention. And

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As a new article of manufacture, a flowerprotecting, dress attachment, consisting of two 

